A Strange Exchange
by Silver Hyacinth
Summary: When Yuuri and Wolfram take a trip to Earth to visit Yuuri's parents, they somehow get trapped, and with no foreseeable way to get them back to Shin Makoku, it is decided that Wolfram will attend Yuuri's school until the situation is resolved. Of course, problems ensue. — Yuuram.
1. Chapter 1

**✥ One ✥**

 **The Way Home**

* * *

"Yuuri, hurry up! If you don't get a move on, I'll drag you all the way back to Earth myself!"

Yuuri stumbled as Wolfram grabbed his arm and started towing him up the stairs of the Temple of the Great One. "Hey, cut it out!" He pulled his arm back with an annoyed glare. "Gosh, you sure are grabby today, Wolfram. Remind me again why we're doing this?"

Wolfram stopped at the top of the steps and turned to face Yuuri with an irritated look, hands on his hips. "Yuuri, I told you this already! Your parents are my dear in-laws, and as such, I am obligated to visit them once in a while to see how they're faring." He huffed and turned back around. "Now hurry up, you wimp."

"Don't call me that!" Yuuri called after him, picking up his pace to catch up with the blond. "You could help carry this stuff, you know," he grumbled, struggling with the armload of boxes he was juggling. "It was your idea to get all these presents for my parents, anyway. The least you could do is help out."

"If you're having trouble, allow me to help, Your Highness," Günter said from behind them. He, along with Conrad and Gwendal, had insisted on accompanying Yuuri and Wolfram to the shrine, claiming that the Demon King needed to be protected at all times, lest someone attack them. Yuuri, of course, thought it was a bit pointless since the shrine was very close to the castle, but he knew he couldn't dissuade his friends from coming along.

"No, that's alright, Günter," Yuuri said dismissively. Just because Wolfram was lazy didn't mean Günter should have to suffer for it. "I can handle it." Even so, he almost dropped the boxes several times as they traveled through the shrine, towards the center, where the ceremony would take place. Even though Yuuri now had the power to get to and from Earth of his own free will, Ulrike wanted to perform the ceremony just to be safe, since he hadn't tried transporting anyone other than Murata along with him.

When they reached the grand center of the shrine, Ulrike was waiting for them, along with Murata and a few of the other shrine priestesses. Two familiar squares of fabric lay on the floor, emblazoned with the crest of the Demon Kingdom. These would be used as the gateway portals to Earth. "Welcome, Your Majesty," Ulrike said in her gentle, child-like voice. "We are prepared for the ceremony, and will begin on your command."

Yuuri nodded. "Thank you, Ulrike." He walked over to one of the squares, while Wolfram stood in front of the other. He turned to look back at Gwendal, Conrad, and Günter, giving them a reassuring smile. "We'll be back soon, everyone! Gwendal, you're in charge for the time being."

"Of course," Gwendal said, nodding in agreement.

"We will await your return with joyous anticipation, Your Majesty!" Günter exclaimed happily, that familiar sparkling look in his eyes that he had whenever speaking to his king. "And rest assured the kingdom will be kept safe and tended to while you are away!"

"Thank you, Günter," Yuuri said with a smile. His friends were loyal and devoted to both him and their country, as always. "I appreciate it." He turned back around to face front, noticing that Ulrike's priestesses had already begun the ceremony. "Make sure to take care of Greta while we're away!" Yuuri remembered to add as the portals began to glow gold.

"We will, Your Majesty," Conrad assured with a smile. "Have a safe journey, and please keep Wolfram out of trouble. You know how he can be."

"Conrart! What exactly is _that_ supposed to mean?!" Wolfram exclaimed with a glare, pointing a finger at his older brother accusingly. "It's not Yuuri's job to look after me!"

"Your Majesty, Your Excellency, it is time to enter the portals," Ulrike urged, prompting Wolfram to turn back around with an annoyed growl. "Remember, the set point to return to the Demon Kingdom is the pool in His Majesty's backyard. When you wish to return, you must use that source, as the ritual is set to activate there."

"Got it," Yuuri assured with a smile. "See you all soon!"

Gwendal, Günter, and Conrad chimed their farewells, and Yuuri took a deep breath before he and Wolfram stepped into the portals and were enveloped in golden light.

* * *

They emerged, coughing and sputtering, in the baby pool in Yuuri's backyard. Of course, Miko was there to greet them, tugging first Yuuri and then Wolfram out of the pool and smothering them both in hugs and towels. "Mom, you're choking me!" Yuuri whined. He was annoyed, but Wolfram seemed to almost enjoy it, and he was acting as friendly and kind to Miko as always.

"Mother, how excellent it is to see you. It's been quite a long time."

"Aww, Wolf-chan, Yuuri's dear fiancé! I'm so happy to see you, too! Ooh, now we can finally go shopping for wedding dresses together!" Miko exclaimed happily, her brown eyes sparkling in excitement. "Oh, honey, Sho-chan, come quickly! Yuuri's home, and he's brought Wolfram along!"

Within seconds, Shori and Yuuri's father had appeared in the yard, and Yuuri groaned as they all crowded around them. "Welcome back, little brother," Shori said with a smile, ruffling Yuuri's hair. He protested and swatted his brother's hand away with an irritated glare. This trip was already getting on his nerves, and they'd only just arrived!

* * *

Later that night, after a large dinner of Miko's famous curry, and the giving out of all of Wolfram's presents, Yuuri lay awake in bed, unable to sleep. Of course, that may have had something to do with the fact that Wolfram was sleeping in his bed, strangling him. _Again_.

He hadn't thought that his parents would ever let Wolfram sleep in his bed, but in fact, Miko had insisted on it. _Oh, it's fine, Yuu-chan dear! After all, it's perfectly normal for two people who are engaged to sleep in the same bed! Besides, we can't let your precious fiancé sleep on the couch, can we?_ Yuuri's fist clenched in anger just remembering it. His mother sure was something else.

Wolfram made a small sound in his sleep and Yuuri instinctively turned to check on him and see if he was alright. Ever since the incident with the Great One and Wolfram's almost-death, Yuuri had found himself acting strangely protective of the boy, even though he could probably take care of himself better than Yuuri ever could.

In fact, though he may have acted annoyed every time the lord snuck into his bed, he was secretly almost _relieved_. Having Wolfram close by meant that Yuuri could watch over him and protect him much more easily. He'd even stopped protesting so much whenever Wolfram made him sit still to paint his portrait.

Yuuri's hand tightened against the sheet and he stared out at his blank wall as images flooded his mind. _I swore to protect him after that day, so maybe it's not so strange that I don't mind him being close to me anymore. But still..._ He grimaced in discomfort. _I wish he wouldn't hug me so tightly! How will I ever get to sleep with him strangling me?!_

* * *

In the morning, Yuuri woke with a groan, blinking in the early morning sunlight streaming through the window. His muscles ached from Wolfram holding onto him all night, and he felt a terrible crick in his neck like someone had stepped on it. _Speaking of Wolfram..._ Yuuri pushed himself to a sitting position and let out a noise of exasperation as he saw the blond laying halfway off the bed, still snoring away. "How does he always manage to do that?"

Pushing off the blankets, Yuuri got up with a sigh and wrangled Wolfram back into the proper sleeping position on the bed. He was wearing some of Yuuri's pajamas, which were oddly big on him. Last time they'd come, Yuuri's clothes had fit him perfectly, but it appeared Yuuri must've had a growth spurt since then because the new pajamas hung off his shoulders and completely covered his feet.

Yuuri shook his head with a small smile and walked over to his closet to find some clothes. Since Wolfram wouldn't fit into his new ones, he had to dig through quite a while before finally finding an old set that would fit him. After that was settled, he himself got dressed, deciding to let Wolfram sleep in and heading downstairs for some breakfast.

Miko was at the table, setting out her usual breakfast food arrangement of eggs, octopus sausages, and toast. Sho was already at the table, his eyes only half-opened as he chugged down a mug of coffee. Miko looked up when Yuuri walked in and flashed him one of her bright, motherly smiles. "Oh, Yuu-chan, good morning!"

She peered over his shoulder and blinked in confusion. "Oh, is Wolf-chan not up yet?"

"Mmm-mmm," Yuuri said, shaking his head as he collapsed into a seat at the table. "He's a bit of a heavy sleeper."

Shori snickered. "And a heavy cuddler at that. Isn't that right, little brother?"

"Shut up, Sho-chan," Yuuri muttered, flushing in embarrassment. "It's not my fault he's like that." He took on a more somber look and turned to stare out the window. "After what happened to him, I can't really blame him..."

"Yeah, guess you're right," Shori said with a sigh. "Oh well, at least he's back to normal now, right?"

"Yep," Yuuri said, regaining his smile as he turned to look back at his brother. "And so has everything else in the Demon Kingdom. I was so relieved when the whole incident with the boxes was resolved. But even though that did happen, it really strengthened the bonds of the Demon Kingdom and the other empires."

"That's good," Shori said, taking another sip of his coffee. "Didn't all the alliance members fight against the Originators' soldiers?"

"They did," Yuuri confirmed with a nod. "That's actually what helped me defeat the Great One. Seeing all of them coming together to fight was comforting to me. And ever since then, the Demon Kingdom has gained even more alliance members. It seems they appreciated all of the effort we put into defeating the Originators."

"Alright, boys, enough talk about that!" Miko scolded, setting down the final plate. "Yuuri, why don't you go get Wolfram for breakfast?"

Yuuri sighed, pushing himself up. "Oh, alright." He turned and pointed a warning finger at his brother. "Don't you dare steal my sausage, Sho-chan!" He heard Shori laughing as he headed up the stairs and bristled in annoyance. "I swear if he eats it, I'll send him flying..." he muttered to himself, opening his bedroom door. He let out a sound of chagrin as he saw Wolfram had once again fallen partly off the bed. "Wolfram, what the heck?!"

The blond mumbled something and reached under his shirt to scratch his stomach. Yuuri face-palmed and knelt beside him, grabbing him by the shoulder and shaking him a few times. "Wolfram, it's time to get up now. I know you like to pretend you're a corpse when you sleep, but it's breakfast time, and my octopus sausage is in danger!"

"Mmm..." Wolfram mumbled, swatting Yuuri's hand away and rolling over. This action caused him to completely fall off the bed, and he landed with a loud _thunk_ on his head. "OWWW!" He bolted upright, a hand reaching for his waist, where his sword would normally be sheathed. "What's going on? Are we under attack?!"

Yuuri laughed nervously and pushed himself to his feet, holding up his hands in an attempt to calm down Wolfram. "Well, my breakfast is under attack, but besides that, we're fine."

Wolfram let out a breath and let his shoulders relax. "Oh, I see." He smoothed down his pajamas, frowning as he pulled the fabric up to cover his shoulders. "Yuuri, these pajamas are rather large," he complained, holding out the front with both hands to emphasize the empty space. "Weren't we the same size last time I visited?"

"Yeah, but I guess I grew since then..." Yuuri said, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish shrug. "Sorry. At least we'll be heading back after breakfast, so you won't have to worry about it."

"True." Wolfram turned to him, his gaze suddenly angry. "Why did you wake me up like that, you wimp?"

"I didn't!" Yuuri protested with a glare. "That was _entirely_ your fault! You rolled right off. And _don't_ _call me that_!"

* * *

After breakfast, they gathered out back to head back to Shin Makoku. Yuuri's father and Shori began to fill the pool, while Miko stood with Yuuri and Wolfram. "Do you really have to go so soon, Wolf-chan darling?" she asked with a pout. "We didn't even get a chance to go shopping!"

"Don't worry, mother," Wolfram said with a smile. "We'll visit again very soon, and stay for a longer period of time."

"Oh, alright," Miko said with a disappointed sigh. "But don't forget!"

"Alright, the pool's filled!" Yuuri's father said, turning off the hose with a smile. "You two are good to go."

"I'll miss you, Yuu-chan!" Miko said, catching Yuuri in a hug. "You too, Wolfram!" She released them both and they stepped over to the edge of the pool. "Next time you visit bring Ken-chan with you!" Miko said as they prepared to go in. "He's always so very helpful."

"I will," Yuuri assured. "Alright, let's go, Wolfram." They both stepped into the pool, prepared to be sucked back into the Demon Kingdom. But nothing happened. They stood there for several minutes, but still, the water remained still and lifeless. "What's going on?" Yuuri asked, blinking in confusion. He kicked the water. "It's not doing anything."

"Maybe it takes a while?" Wolfram suggested with a shrug.

Yuuri shook his head with a frown. "No, I don't think so. Last time it took barely a second." He knelt down and ran his fingers through the water. "Maybe it's—" Without warning, the water let out a shock of black electricity, knocking Yuuri and Wolfram out of the pool. "Ah!"

Pushing himself to a sitting position with a wince, Yuuri looked at the pool. "What the heck... It shocked me!"

"Oh no..." Wolfram pushed himself up beside Yuuri. "This isn't good."

"What do you mean, Wolfram?" Yuuri asked, feeling a bit anxious now. "Do you know what's going on?"

"His Imminence and Ulrike warned me about this," Wolfram said with a worried expression. "They said that some of the Originators' power may have lurked in Shin Makoku. It appears that is so, and it's causing the portal to temporarily block our passage through."

"So that means..." Yuuri trailed off with a gulp.

Wolfram nodded, confirming his fears. "We're stuck here."


	2. Chapter 2

**✥ Two ✥**

 **Game Plan**

* * *

"What are we supposed to do?" Yuuri asked anxiously. He and Wolfram were sitting at the kitchen table along with Shori, Miko, and Yuuri's father, Shouma. " There's no way to contact the others from this side, so how are we going to get back?"

Wolfram rested a reassuring hand on his fiancé's shoulder. "Don't worry, Yuuri. The best thing to do is wait it out, and if the problem is truly severe, I'm sure my brothers will figure out a way to get us back to the Demon Kingdom, so there's no need to panic."

"Yes, but how long will that _be_?" Yuuri nervously tugged a hand through his hair. "We don't know how severe this is, and who knows how long it will take for the portal to be active again. We could be stuck here for weeks, or even months! What would happen to the _kingdom_ if we were away for that long?"

"Yuuri, take a deep breath," Wolfram said calmly. "This is not something we need to freak out about. I'm sure the portal will be fixed in no time. And no matter how long we may be gone, you know Conrart and Gwendal will take good care of the Demon Kingdom in your absence. Have a little faith."

Yuuri took a deep breath and sank back in his chair, closing his eyes with a sigh. "You're right." He breathed in deeply again before sitting back up and opening his eyes. "You're right," he repeated as if to reassure himself. "I'm sure everything will be fine, so in the meantime, let's figure out a game plan."

"I've got an idea!" Miko piped up cheerfully, raising a hand. "Wolf-chan can sleep in your room, Yuuri, and we can get him some clothes, and we can check the pool every day to see if the portal is back up!" She clasped her hands together with a smile. "How does that sound?"

"If it's the best plan we've got, then..." Yuuri wasn't exactly _thrilled_ at the prospect of sharing a bed with Wolfram for the unforeseeable future until the portal turned back on. But what other options did he have? It was really the _only_ option, so... He sighed and nodded once. "Let's do it."

* * *

Miko executed the first stage of her plan by taking Wolfram out shopping and, of course, she dragged Yuuri along. Currently, they were wandering around the mall, ducking in and out of stores, trying to find Wolfram some fitting clothes. So far, the lord had turned down everything, much to Yuuri's annoyance.

"Ooh, how about this one!" Miko exclaimed, ducking into a department store, towing Wolfram along beside her, with Yuuri tailing them, a bored expression on his face. He absolutely hated shopping for clothes, which is why he had his mother buy them for him. It may have seemed childish, but if Yuuri could avoid setting foot inside a clothing store, he would.

And yet, here he was. Inside a clothing store. _Yay_.

Miko dragged Wolfram over to a rack and starting sorting through the shirts hanging there, every once in a while pointing to one and asking Wolfram if he liked it, or saying something like, "Oh, Wolf-chan, this one would look just _so cute_ on you!"

Yuuri was considering drowning himself in the mall's fountain when Wolfram stopped Miko in her shuffling and reached over to extract a shirt. Relieved that he had finally picked at least _one_ , and a little curious as to what had finally drawn his eye, Yuuri poked his head forward to see what it looked like. He immediately fell backward in shock seeing that it was a black t-shirt with a little white cat on it. _He— He can't be serious..._

"I like this one," Wolfram proclaimed, handing it to Miko and digging through the rack himself. "Are there more like it? I shall take all of them."

Glancing back and forth between Wolfram and Miko, Yuuri gulped nervously. _She'll say something to him, surely..._ But Miko only pouted and shook her head. "Wolf-chan, you can't buy the same shirt over and over! But if you like cats, we can find different cat shirts for you!"

He gaped in disbelief as Wolfram nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, let's find them!"

"But... I didn't even know he liked cats..." Yuuri muttered to himself as his mother and Wolfram skipped off to find more shirts. With a sigh, he followed after them, praying to any god that would listen for them to finish their shopping before he dropped dead of old age.

* * *

After dinner later that evening, Yuuri sat cross-legged on his bed, watching as Wolfram put away his new clothes, smiling to himself, seemingly without a care in the world. Yuuri found it somewhat endearing that the boy could forget his troubles so easily. And plus... He flushed as the blond held a cat t-shirt up to his chest with a smile before placing it in the drawer with all the others. _It's kind of cute that Wolfram likes cats so much..._

 _What am I saying?!_ Yuuri straightened, slapping his cheeks a few times. _He's not cute! Not cute at all!_

Not seeming to notice Yuuri's antics, Wolfram placed the last t-shirt in the drawer and closed it, placing his hands on his hips with an accomplished smile. "Finished!" Turning, he frowned noticing Yuuri staring at him with his hands resting on his reddening cheeks. "Yuuri, what's wrong?"

"W-What?" Yuuri cleared his throat and jerked his hands away from his face with a nervous laugh. "Oh, n-nothing. I'm fine! Just tired, that's all."

"Oh, alright then. You should get to sleep." Bending down to pick up the discarded plastic store bags, Wolfram moved past Yuuri to throw them away. He tried not to watch him and forced himself to look away, coughing awkwardly. "Um, yeah. I'll... go change."

Yuuri got up and grabbed a set of pajamas before letting himself into the hallway. He was on his way to the bathroom when he overheard his mother's voice and paused, cocking his head to the side to listen. "Honey, I'm worried about Yuu-chan."

The voice that answered belonged to his father. "Miko, don't worry. He's a tough boy. I know he can handle it."

"I know, I know, you're right. But it's not just Yuuri I'm worried about. Wolfram is here too, and he's only been to Earth a few times. I don't know if he can handle the stress of not knowing when he'll be able to return home, or if he even _can_."

"Don't worry, darling," his father replied. "Yuuri will take care of him. And I'm sure we'll figure something out."

Miko sighed. "You're right. Thank you, Shouma."

Yuuri smiled and let himself into the bathroom to change. As long as there was some hope, even the tiniest bit, he was sure they would get home safely. He had faith, and maybe that wasn't always the wisest decision, but it was all there was, and he would believe in it.

After changing, when he got back to his room, Yuuri paused seeing Wolfram lying in his bed, already fast asleep. He was curled up, his knees to his chest, wearing a set of black cat pajamas. With a fond smile, Yuuri turned off the light, crawled in beside him, and closed his eyes.

* * *

In the morning, Yuuri woke with an elbow pressing into his side and a leg thrown across his waist. He grimaced in annoyance, already knowing who the limbs belonged to, and opened his eyes to glare down at a sleeping Wolfram. His mouth was open and his eyelids kept twitching as if he were dreaming.

Yuuri let out an annoyed huff and poked Wolfram on the cheek. "Hey! Hey, Wolfram! Wake up!"

The blond sniffled and yawned, moving his elbow to throw his arm across Yuuri's chest. " _Tch_. You've got to be kidding me..." he muttered irritably. "Wolfram! Wolfram, come on! Wake up!" He shook him by the shoulders. "Geez, you really _are_ a heavy sleeper."

With one final poke in the side, Wolfram blinked his eyes open with a wide yawn. He looked up at Yuuri, rubbing his eyes. "Yuri? Wha's going on?" he mumbled, still half-asleep. Yuuri stiffened, feeling a flush creep up his neck. _Cute..._ Even _he_ had to admit, Wolfram was too adorable like this.

Sitting up, the blond stretched his arms above his head, letting out another long yawn. "Yuuri?" he repeated, blinking over at him with wide blue eyes. "What time is it?"

"Uh— Um..." Yuuri jolted upright, blinking repeatedly and trying to clear his head. "Um, I don't know. It's morning." He coughed and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, pushing himself to his feet and padding over to his closet. He started rifling through for a pair of clothes while Wolfram got out of bed and walked over to the dresser. Yuuri could hear him open a drawer and start sorting through it.

He pulled out an outfit and turned to Wolfram, who was holding up a white t-shirt that said 'You gotta be kitten me right meow'. Yuuri rolled his eyes. "You know, I had no clue you liked cats, Wolfram. I didn't exactly peg you as the animal-loving type."

The boy puffed out his cheeks with a flush, hugging the shirt to his chest. "They're cute..."

"Whatever you say." Yuuri shook his head with a small smile before ducking into the hallway.

* * *

After they had both changed, the boys headed downstairs to find Miko setting breakfast out on the table. Shori had yet to arrive, and Yuuri's father had already left for work. "Oh, Wolf-chan, Yuu-chan! Good morning!" She smiled at them as she set a pitcher of orange juice on the table. "Come sit!"

Yuuri fell into a chair with a smile. "Thanks, Mom."

"Call me Mama!" Miko insisted, setting down the final dish. "Now, you two start eating. I'll go get Sho-chan." She walked down the hall, leaving Wolfram and Yuuri alone at the table. Yuuri scooped up some eggs and grabbed a sausage and a piece of toast. Wolfram hesitantly copied him, and the two began eating in silence.

Yuuri couldn't help glancing over at the blond, his mother's words from last night flashing through his head. _It's not just Yuuri I'm worried about. Wolfram is here too, and he's only been to Earth a few times. I don't know if he can handle the stress of not knowing when he'll be able to return home, or if he even can._ He pursed his lips and took a sip of his orange juice. Of course, he was worried about Wolfram. But he trusted him.

Wolfram was a strong person. He could take care of himself. But still... Even if he didn't say it or show it often, Yuuri cared about Wolfram. And he couldn't help but worry about him. Before he could further brood over it, however, Miko was back, but Sho wasn't with her. Instead, she was holding something behind her back, barely containing her excitement.

"Yuu-chan, Wolf-chan, I have a surprise for you!"

Yuuri was immediately suspicious. "What is it?" he asked, eyeing her warily as she moved closer, still wearing an excited smile. "Tada!" she squealed, brandishing a white paper bag and setting it on the table in front of them. Yuuri and Wolfram shared a confused look. "Um..." Yuuri scratched his eyebrow nervously. "What is it?"

"Well..." Miko reached into the bag with a smile. "The thing is, since I wasn't sure how long Wolf-chan would be stuck here, I thought it might be a good idea if..." She pulled out a stack of clothes and slid them over to Wolfram. "I enrolled Wolfram at your school!"

Yuuri choked on his own breath. "Wh— You did _what_?! Mom!"

"Oh, relax, Yuu-chan," Miko said with a light laugh, waving a hand dismissively. "We can't have Wolfram at home all day while you're off at school, can we? The poor boy would be bored out of his mind! So... I enrolled him at your school. I told them he was a foreign exchange student staying with us, so he's in all your classes, too! Everything is all set up!"

"You can't be serious," Yuuri groaned, resting his head in his hands. "Mom, there's absolutely no _way_ Wolfram can go to my school!"

"And just why not?" It was Wolfram who spoke, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at Yuuri.

Yuuri blanched. "Well— You— I mean—" He grimaced and sunk lower in his chair. He let out a long sigh. "Fine," he muttered dejectedly. "I guess it's _fine_..."

"Good!" Miko exclaimed happily. "Then starting tomorrow, Wolf-chan will accompany you to school! Oh, this is going to be so much _fun_!"


	3. Chapter 3

**✥ Three ✥**

 **Wolfram's First Day**

* * *

"Alright, I'm ready to go." Hearing his fiancé's voice, Yuuri looked up from his spot at the table where he was blearily chugging down a glass of orange juice. He stared at the blond blankly for a second before his tired brain caught up with his eyes. "Wolfram, you can't bring your sword to school!"

Wolfram placed a hand on his sword as if to protect it, wearing a defensive look. "And just why not? I need this sword in order to protect you, Yuuri. What if something tries to attack you?"

Yuuri pinched the bridge of his nose in mild irritation. Wolfram," he sighed out, "nothing will try to attack me. Really." At the blond's disbelieving huff, Yuuri rolled his eyes. "I promise. Earth isn't like Shin Makoku. There's nothing here that's after me. You don't have to protect me here."

"I have to protect you everywhere," Wolfram mumbled, collapsing into a chair beside him, arms crossed. Yuuri shot him a surprised glance, and the blond reddened, glancing away with an annoyed huff. "Without me, you'd probably get killed _drinking milk_ , you wimp."

Yuuri shot him a glare, the moment gone. "Wolfram, you're not bringing the sword, and that is _final_."

Wolfram huffed. " _Fine_." He picked up a fork and started eating angrily. "I'm starting to _really_ dislike being stuck in this universe."

"Trust me," Yuuri sighed, picking up a piece of toast, "I know."

* * *

"You ride this... this _contraption_ to school every day?" Wolfram was speaking, of course, of Yuuri's bike (apparently they didn't have them in Shin Makoku). The blond seemed intrigued by the simple object and was circling it with curious emerald eyes. "It doesn't seem very safe."

"Of course it's safe," Yuuri said, rolling his eyes. He gently nudged Wolfram aside and got on the bike, kicking up the stand with ease. "Now get on. We'll be late if we don't leave now."

"How... do I get on?" Wolfram asked, eyeing the bike in confusion. Yuuri sighed and gestured at the area behind him that Wolfram could perch on. "Sit here, but be careful. It's pretty small. You might have to hold on to me to avoid falling off while we're moving."

Wolfram's brows furrowed, but he tried nonetheless. Pulling himself carefully onto the back portion of the bike, he adjusted his position, fitting surprisingly well into the small spot. Not wanting to waste another second, Yuuri kicked off, speeding down the street. Wolfram let out a screech and grabbed him around the middle, nearly strangling him. "TOO FAST, TOO FAST, TOO FAST!"

Yuuri laughed. "Relax, Wolf. It's not dangerous, so try to have fun!"

The blond said nothing in return, his grip tightening even further. Yuuri laughed and sped up again, cutting through a side-street and bringing the bike into a slow glide as they came up to the school. Wolfram seemed relieved by this, lessening his death-grip on Yuuri and letting out the breath he'd been holding. Yuuri coasted up to the bike-rack, coming to a smooth stop directly in one of the spots.

"Wolfram, we stopped moving," he said, noting that the blond had yet to let go of him.

Without saying anything, Wolfram nodded and unsteadily got off the bike, his body visibly shaking, reminding Yuuri of a newborn deer. He felt a little bad about going so fast now, but oh well. He'd go slower on the way home. Kicking down the bike stand, sliding off and retrieving his bag from the front basket.

He had noticed that they'd started getting curious looks—no doubt because of Wolfram—and Yuuri shifted uncomfortably and grabbed his hand reflexively, towing him towards the entrance. "C'mon, this way. We have to stop at the office first, and then my homeroom class."

"Oh... Okay." Wolfram picked up his pace to try and keep up with the speed he was being dragged at. "But... what exactly is a 'homeroom'?"

* * *

"Class, this is our new foreign exchange student, Wolfram!" Yuuri's teacher sounded oddly excited saying this, and Wolfram seemed uncomfortable as the entire class stared at him. "He'll be staying here with Yuuri for a few weeks. I want you all to make him feel welcome."

There was a chorus of assent from the class, and Yuuri let out a relieved sigh when the teacher ordered for everyone to take their seats, and instructed Wolfram to sit beside Yuuri in the back. Wolfram sank hesitantly into the proffered chair, keeping his eyes trained on the desk, fidgeting nervously as everyone continued to stare at him. Yuuri chuckled softly and turned his attention to the front. Poor Wolfram. I wonder how well he'll adapt to school.

 _Poor Wolfram. I wonder how well he'll adapt to school._ He snickered just thinking of it. _This'll be fun to see._

* * *

At lunch, people crowded around Wolfram, talking a mile a minute.

"Your name's Wolfram, right?"

"Where are you from?"

"How old are you?"

"Is this your first time visiting Japan?"

"Do you like it here?"

"Wow, your hair's so pretty!"

Normally, Wolfram would be annoyed by this, but he just seemed uncomfortable, fidgeting nervously and stammering out half-answers to questions, barely able to keep up with the rapid conversation. Yuuri, however, was growing increasingly annoyed. He wasn't sure why, but everyone crowding around them was starting to piss him off. Why were all the girls batting their eyelashes like that? Couldn't they see they were making Wolfram uncomfortable?

Yuuri's fists clenched in annoyance, but luckily, a voice parted the crowd. "Hey, scatter!"

The crowd shuffled back and dispersed as a group of three boys walked up, hands in their pockets, posture slouched, wearing carefree smiles. Yuuri gulped. These three were known for causing trouble, and he'd seen them messing with the younger kids. They were already the type of guy he didn't like, and having them around made him uneasy. Wolfram, however, wasn't aware of any of this, and he stood to speak to them, his usual scowl once again gracing his features now that the crowd had dispersed. "Who are you?"

The boys stopped in front of them, the leader crossing his arms with a smirk that made Yuuri nervous. He stood up, wavering behind Wolfram warily. "Your Japanese is pretty good for a foreigner. What's your name again? Wolfram?" The boy—Yuuri vaguely recalled his name being Ryota—gave Wolfram a once-over. "Why are you wearing a boy's uniform?"

"I'm a boy," Wolfram said confusedly. Yuuri grimaced and face-palmed. This wasn't going to go anywhere good; he could tell.

"You sure?" This once-over was slower, more deliberate, and made Yuuri's skin crawl.

Wolfram scoffed, not seeming to be getting the same vibes Yuuri was. "Of course I'm sure." He crossed his arms, scowl deepening. "Who are you, anyway?"

"The name's Ryota." He winked, causing Yuuri to stiffen slightly in disbelief. Did Ryota seriously think Wolfram was a girl? I mean, sure, Yuuri could admit he had a few feminine qualities, but he was still obviously a guy. He was still trying to piece everything together when Wolfram responded. "Ryota. I am pleased to meet you." He was about to bow, but Yuuri quickly nudged him hard in the leg, shaking his head frantically.

The lord straightened again, shooting him a glare, but Yuuri didn't care. Nobody was this polite; if he bowed it would only add to the weirdness. Ryota eyed them both with a note of curiosity but said nothing about the near-slip-up. "Well, Wolfram, lunch is almost over." He gave them a lazy half-wave and spun on his heel, shooting a smirk back over his shoulder. "See you around."

Yuuri's lips pursed as another jolt of irritation sparked through him. As soon as Ryota was gone, he turned to Wolfram with an exasperated look. "Wolfram, what the heck?!" The blond shot him a blank look as he sat back down on the bench. "What? What did I do?"

"First of all, that guy's trouble! You need to be more careful when talking to people. At least try to get a feel for them first. And you're being too polite! And there's no nobility here, so try to lay off the bowing and cordiality."

Wolfram scoffed, crossing his arms with an annoyed look. "Yuuri, you're being paranoid. He seemed perfectly normal to me. Besides, I do evaluate people before speaking to them. I deemed him unthreatening." He shot the Demon King a sly glance. "I don't suppose you would be jealous, Yuuri?"

It was Yuuri's turn to scoff. "What? _Jealous_? Of _him_? No way!" He waved a hand dismissively. "Don't be ridiculous." He stood and pointed towards the door. "Come on, let's go inside. Lunch is almost over." He walked quickly towards the school, trying to ignore the feeling of unease still lingering in his gut. No matter what Wolfram said, he could tell... Those guys were going to be trouble.

* * *

"So, you made it through your first day. How do you feel?" Yuuri and Wolfram were walking out of the school along with the hundreds of other students, heading towards the bike rack. Yuuri was the one asking the question, directing it over his shoulder at Wolfram, who was lagging behind him, reading a book they'd gotten from English that day, which he was intrigued with.

"Hmm?" He glanced up for a split second before turning to the page again. "I feel fine. School is much more interesting than I thought it would be."

Yuuri laughed. "Glad one of us thinks so." They had reached the bike rack by then, and Yuuri climbed on, waiting as Wolfram settled behind him. "Put that book away. If you drop it while we're riding, I'm not stopping for it."

Wolfram sighed. "Fine." He bookmarked his page and handed it up to Yuuri, who placed it in his bike's basket before kicking up the stand and getting ready to kick off. Before he could, he caught sight of Ryota and his friends across the yard. Their eyes met, and the boy smirked and started towards them. Yuuri narrowed his eyes. "Wolfram, hold on tight." He kicked off and sped towards the exit, neatly cutting the corner, making it safely away from the school.

Wolfram gave a cry of complaint and grabbed him from behind, nearly falling off the bike. "Yuuri! What was that for?! Don't be so reckless!"

"Ha." He laughed, though it wasn't very convincing. "Sorry. I'm just hungry." They lapsed into silence, and Yuuri's eyes remained focused on the road, that uneasy feeling still lingering in his chest.

* * *

After dinner that night, Yuuri stayed up late working on homework at the kitchen table, while Wolfram went to bed ahead of him. In fact, _everyone_ went to bed before him. By the time he had finished, the house was as dark as the night outside, and he felt his way up the black stairs, letting himself into his room, being careful not to make noise.

He paused in the doorway, eyes falling on the bed. Wolfram lay curled up on his side there, his face illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the window. His face was peaceful, his mouth slightly open as he let out soft breaths. He had kicked the blankets away, as he always did, and lay in just his cat pajamas, bare feet pale against the dark blue sheets.

Yuuri didn't think he'd ever seen him look so at peace. He felt himself smile, and carefully slipped into bed, not even caring when Wolfram immediately latched onto him. He may have even—although he would never admit this—wrapped his arms around the blond, just this once.

This was nice, just the two of them, alone in the silent night, moonlight painting them silver. While Wolfram was her with him, he was safe, and Yuuri felt himself growing tired, feeling the warmth of another body against his. Though he would die of embarrassment if anyone ever knew of this, right now, he didn't care.

The future was still uncertain for them. Maybe the portal would be fixed; maybe it wouldn't. They couldn't know for sure. But no matter what happened, there was one sure thing in the chaos, and that was Wolfram. However scared Yuuri was, Wolfram's fear was two times worse. He was stuck in a strange land, with the possibility looming over his head that he would never be able to return home. It must've been terrifying.

And yet he looked so carefree. Yuuri could hardly believe it.

But whatever the case, he knew he had one thing he would do no matter what, and that was keep him safe. If Ryota caused trouble, he would protect Wolfram. If the portal wouldn't open again, he'd protect Wolfram. If anything happened, he'd protect Wolfram. No matter what, he'd protect Wolfram.

Though he may not have liked to wear his emotions on his sleeve, the boy was important to him. He grew too attached too quickly, as his mother always said, and this was especially true in Wolfram's case. So, though he may not have ever said it out loud, his silent vow that night was to protect him, no matter the cost.

Wolfram was the one sure thing he had, and he wouldn't let him go anytime soon.

* * *

 **A/N:** Aww, fluff at the end there :3 I hope you guys liked the chapter. As some of you are probably predicting, this Ryota character _will_ be causing some trouble in the future, but it's nothing our boys can't handle ;) Anyways, if you're enjoying the story, remember to follow and favorite, and leave suggestions, comments, and corrections down in the review section.


	4. Chapter 4

**✥ Four ✥**

 **Adapting**

* * *

Wolfram's first week of school went by quickly. Unlike Yuuri had originally thought, the lord seemed to have no trouble whatsoever adapting to school life. Though some of Earth's concepts and traditions still confused him, he was great at pretending to understand, and everyone at school quickly came to adore him.

All the girls had crushes on him and were constantly hanging around him, batting their eyelashes and giggling; all the boys wanted to be friends with him, and were always inviting him to come sit with them at lunch or join their sports team; even the teachers all seemed to love him, especially considering he picked up the subjects so quickly. Long story short; everybody thought the blond was amazing.

Yuuri was happy for him, of course. How could he not be? It was a relief that the boy was managing to stay on his feet, even with all the pressure placed on him. He admired his fortuitous attitude. But... For some reason, all the attention Wolfram was getting was making him feel... _strange_. There was this weird gurgly, boiling feeling in his chest, and he couldn't seem to stop clenching his fists.

Not to mention that there was still the lingering feeling of apprehension lingering in his gut; worry over whether or not they would be able to get back to Shin Makoku or not. The concern lay mostly with Wolfram, who, as he realized, seemed to be adjusting fairly well, but still; how long could he keep up the brave face? Surely he was worried and scared. Yuuri himself would be in the same situation.

This whole thing was much less serious for him, considering he had _two_ homes; Wolfram only had one, and he had been taken away from it. It made Yuuri's heart _ache_ , mostly because it was partly his fault. If Wolfram hadn't come to Earth with him in the first place, he would still be safely back home in the Demon Kingdom...

"Yuuri."

But he couldn't dwell on thoughts like those for long. He had to be strong for Wolfram until they found a way to get back. Murata was back in Shin Makoku, and he had faith that his friend, along with Ulrike and Anissina, would find a way to bring them back. Those three were some of the smartest people he knew; he was sure they could figure it out if they worked together.

" _Yuuri_ , are you listening to me?"

It had already been a week and a half since they arrived. Yuuri was sure they must've been already at least 50% done with a plan to retrieve them by now. Just imagining Conrad and all the others worrying about him and Wolfram made Yuuri feel even worse, though... He hoped they weren't _too_ troubled by his absence.

"Yuuri!"

"AH!" Yuuri jumped, scared so much by the sudden shout that he nearly toppled backward off his chair. His head whipped around to find a distinctly annoyed Wolfram glaring down at him, arms crossed. "Wolfram! What the _heck_ did you scare me like that for?!"

"It was your own fault for ignoring me," Wolfram responded icily. "Come on, the bell rang already. Let's head back."

"Oh..." Yuuri frowned. "Did it really? Sorry, I was a little lost in thought..."

"Obviously." Wolfram rolled his eyes, grabbing Yuuri's arm and pulling him towards the door, giving him barely enough time to snatch his bag off the back of his chair before they were out the door and heading towards the bike racks. "You shouldn't space out like that, Yuuri. You'll start failing your classes."

"That's ironic coming from _you_." Yuuri smirked, satisfaction written across his face. "How are your grades, again?"

"S-shut up, you wimp," Wolfram stammered with a blush and a scowl. "It's only my second week of school, alright? I'm still getting used to these Earth subjects. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it eventually!"

Yuuri chuckled amusedly seeing how embarrassed he was getting. "Oh, I'm sure you will, _Wolfa-chan_." The blond stiffened and turned to glare at Yuuri, who snickered. The girls in his class had decided to give the lord the impromptu nickname, and he absolutely _hated_ it, which delighted Yuuri to no end, of course.

"If you keep using that _ridiculous_ nickname, I swear..." The boy gritted his teeth, clenching his fists like he was trying to keep himself from punching the nearest wall. His face shifted into a mischevious smile as he shot Yuuri a smirk. "You know, they have a nickname for you, too."

"What?" Yuuri shot him a disbelieving look. "No, they don't."

"Mmm-hmm," Wolfram nodded his head, holding back a smile, which only irritated Yuuri further. "Trust me, they do. You want to hear it, right?"

Yuuri clicked his tongue. Okay, maybe he was a _tiny_ bit curious... But he was also almost 100% sure Wolfram was going to use this against him as retribution for his own embarrassing nickname. Then again, nothing could be worse than _Wolfa-chan_ , right? That was _A-level_ bad. Mind made up, he nodded confidently. "Tell me."

"Alright, it's..." Wolfram looked like he was trying to hold back laughter as he leaned closer to Yuuri, almost conspiratorially. " _Yuu-chan_ ~" He said it in a teasing, sing-song voice, the impersonation so close to a girl's voice, Yuuri could picture one of his female classmates uttering it to her friends, causing a fit of giggling. His face flushed a deep red, which only caused Wolfram to burst into a fit of hysterical laughter, holding his sides as if they could burst at any moment.

"Shut up," he muttered, hiding his face in his shoulder as he unlocked his bike from the rack. "Yours is still worse..."

* * *

That night, after dinner had been eaten, the table cleared, and homework completed, Yuuri took a long shower, dressed in his pajamas, and collapsed face-first on his bed, utterly exhausted. He had an English exam coming up, and had been given a week's worth of homework to do over the weekend because of it. Wolfram was _so_ lucky they were taking it easy on him and had exempted him from taking the exam.

Using his legs to kick himself farther onto the bed, he dug his fingers into the pillow and sighed contentedly. "Finally time for bed..."

"Mmm..." There was a shifting beside him, and from amidst the tangle of blankets, a face appeared, squinting up at him with bleary emerald eyes. "Yuuri...?"

Yuuri's heart clenched and he made a small noise in the back of his throat. _Cute... He looks just like a cat._ "Wolfram, sorry. Didn't mean to wake you up." To be honest, he's forgotten he was there. He was so used to sleeping in his own bed by himself while at home that he'd let his guard down.

The blond let out a yawn and blinked slowly several times, only adding to his feline aesthetic. "It's"—yawn—"fine. Just turn off the light so I can go back to sleep..." He trailed off, eyes drooping, dark eyelashes fluttering lightly against his cheeks. He was asleep before they even closed fully.

Yuuri shook his head, a small, fond smile gracing his lips. Wolfram could be annoying, but he wasn't so bad. (Though Yuuri would never tell him this, of course.) Carefully, he tucked the blond in again and peeled back the blanket to crawl under, curling up on his side. Glancing once at his clock to make sure his alarm was set, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift peacefully off to sleep, Wolfram's even breathing a calm symphony in his ears.

* * *

"Yuuuurrrrriiii, wake _uppppppp_!" a sing-song female voice called happily from down the hallway. Yuuri recognized it immediately as belonging to his mother, Miko, and tiredly blinked his eyes open, wincing as the sunlight hit them. He rested a hand against his forehead and took silent stock of his surroundings to wake up his brain.

The blanket was thrown over his torso haphazardly, his bottom half exposed to the chill morning air, bare feet tingling where the air brushed up against them, his socks having been lost sometime in the night. His shirt was twisted at an awkward angle, trapping his arm against his chest, and was pulled up, revealing a portion of his stomach. As always, Wolfram had cemented himself against Yuuri's back in the night, and his warmth seeped through the fabric of his shirt, making Yuuri want to drift off to sleep again.

He fought the feeling and carefully extracted himself from the blond's tight embrace, having become an expert at doing so after a week of practice. He slid his legs over the edge of the bed, wincing when they touched the cool floor, and fixed his shirt, pulling it around until it was situated in the right way again. "Much better."

Next order of business was to get dressed, which he did quickly. Luckily, it was Saturday, which meant he could wear something besides his school uniform, so he chose a T-shirt and a pair of loose black sweatpants, deciding to dress lazy-casual for the day. He was still dead tired, even though he'd slept pretty great—with minimal kicking from Wolfram—and felt like doing absolutely nothing, though _of course_ his mom would wake him up at— what time was it, anyway? A glance at the clock revealed the answer as 8:34, and Yuuri groaned.

His was a family of morning people, while he himself deviated from the pattern, being more of a night owl. If anyone woke him up before 7:30, he would promptly bite their head off and throw them out of his room with a strong kick to the backside and a cat-like hiss. But this didn't stop Miko, who could be downright scary in her own right, and who wouldn't take any of Yuuri's protesting to heart.

As soon as he'd pulled on a pair of fresh socks—fuzzy black ones Shori gave him for his last birthday—he plodded down the hallway and into the kitchen, finding Miko and his brother already sitting at the table, where breakfast was set out, as usual. "Good morning, Yuuri!" Miko chirped; annoyingly cheerful, as always. "Oh, Wolf-chan isn't up? That boy sure does love his sleep, just like you!"

" _Mom_ ," Yuuri groaned, practically _collapsing_ into a chair with a loud groan. " _Food_."

Miko giggled. "Alright, alright. I'm just trying to make conversation, Yuu-chan, dear." She set a plate laden with eggs, bacon, sausages, and toast in front of him, and Yuuri fell upon it like a man possessed. Shori watched him with a raised brow, taking an idle sip of his orange juice. "What's gotten into you today? You look like a zombie."

"Shut up," Yuuri ordered through a mouthful of food, drowning it all with a sip of juice. "I was just tired from all that homework last night, that's all. And _someone_ woke me up early." He shot a pointed look at Miko, who smiled innocently and continued buttering her toast. Yuuri turned his attention back to his plate with a glare.

Shori snickered and set down his glass, leaning back in his chair and crossing one knee over the other nonchalantly. "So what, did Wolfram keep you up with his strangle hold all night again?"

" _No_ , for your information," Yuuri shot back, scowling at him. "We slept very well, thank you. In fact, it was the best sleep I've had in—"

"Yuuri?" a sleepy voice mumbled from the kitchen entry, and everyone's eyes were drawn to a disheveled Wolfram, who stood in the doorway, rubbing his eyes and yawning, the sleeves of his gray cat pajamas hanging low over his hands. Miko squealed like an excited fangirl at the sight of him and clasped her hands to her chest. "Oh, Wolf-chan, you look so _adorable_! Doesn't he just, Yuu-chan?"

Yuuri didn't answer, hiding his blushing face behind a mouthful of toast. Wolfram shuffled to the table—ignoring Miko's cooing—and slumped into the chair beside him with another yawn. He reached for a piece of toast on the plate in the center of the table and nibbled on it, eyes closed, as if he were still asleep. Yuuri watched him from the corner of his eye.

"Hey, Wolfram..." He paused; waited for the blond to glance up at him before continuing on. "There's a circus here this weekend." He remembered back to Tuesday when they'd been walking home after school and had seen the posters for it plastered everywhere. Wolfram had feigned disinterest, but Yuuri had seen him sneaking glances at them when he thought he wasn't looking, eyes shining with a hint of curiosity and wonder.

He'd been debating with himself whether or not to take him the entire week. After all, going to something as nonsensical as a circus at such a serious time was kind of stupid. But, then again, it seemed like exactly what they needed to take their minds off the problem at hand. Yuuri had eventually just decided to do it and went ahead and bought tickets, but he wasn't exactly sure how Wolfram would react.

But he was worried for nothing, apparently. As soon as the word 'circus' was mentioned, Wolfram's eyes popped open and Yuuri immediately had his full attention. Slightly more confident now, he continued on with a smile, "I thought it could be fun to go before I have that huge test on Monday, so I bought two tickets. What do you say?"

He could tell Wolfram tried to hide his smile, but it didn't work very well as he eagerly nodded his head. "Sure!"

Yuuri chuckled at his thinly-concealed enthusiasm and turned back to his breakfast. "Great..." He smiled into his cup and repeated the word to himself. _Great._

* * *

 **A/N:** _Yes_ , I decided to make a circus chapter. Can you blame me? Wolfram is gonna be such a cute lil' shit hanging out at the circus omg I can imagine it now. Get ready for loads of cliches because I want Wolfram to get excited over cotton candy and popcorn and the Ferris Wheel and everything :3

This chapter was mostly boring interactions and inner thoughts, but meh. Btw I _so_ wish someone would make art for this because the current cover image sucks XD But anyway, remember to follow and fav if you enjoy the story, and leave comments, corrections, and suggestions down in the review section. (Also, sorry for the long wait for this chapter! I'll try to get the next one out much sooner c:)


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